This Woman Became a Bodybuilder—Even Though She Has No Arms

Let her inspire you to aim for your most daunting fitness goals.

In most ways, Barbie Thomas isn't that different from many other 37-year-old women. She's a mother of two, and a longtime fitness devotee. She cooks, she puts on makeup, she texts, she drives... The only difference? She lost both of her arms in an electrical accident when she was just a young girl, and she does these common activities with her feet. Oh, and she's also a bodybuilder.

In 2003, after having spent a good chunk of her life checking out bodybuilding competitions in magazines, Barbie decided to inquire into joining one herself. After clearing it with bodybuilding officials, she began to train, and now regularly enters events, reports the Daily Mail. This past weekend, Barbie wowed the crowd at the NPC Junior USA Bodybuilding Championship in Charleston, South Carolina, and her best finish was in early 2012, when she placed fifth out of six competitors, according to the publication. While this might not seem like the biggest feat for many, it was huge for Barbie considering the unique struggles she faces to tone and train for each event.

Now Barbie wants to inspire others to reach for their biggest fitness goals: "I'd say to anyone, you can do whatever you put your mind to," says Barbie, according to the Daily Mail. "The only limitations are the ones you put on yourself. Everyone has limitations and handicaps in some way or another—mine are more visible than yours maybe."

See how Barbie preps for a competition in the video below from 2012:

Interested in more moving fitspiration? Hear Amy Purdy speak about starting to snowboard again after losing her legs, read Heather Abbot's story of recovery as a survivor of the Boston Marathon bombings, and check out LaKeisha Shurn's incredible 100-day workout journey.